Method and apparatus for winching

ABSTRACT

A process for winching comprising attaching a first line to a jack, connecting a second line to the object to be winched, connecting a third line to the running gear of the jack, immobilizing the jack, connecting the third line to the second line and cranking the jack to move the object, and connecting the first line to the second line to hold the object in its new position. Apparatus for holding an object being winched in a new position including a winch tensioner bracket connected to a grab hook by a chain.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This application is a divisional and claims priority to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/154,307 filed May 23, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No.6,595,490.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELEVANT ART

Lifting jacks are commonly available inexpensive tools that are used toraise and lower loads. Such lifting jacks may be of the type shown inthe early Harrah U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,307,968, 1,374,653 and 1,482,846 aswell as the McIntosh U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,546, all of which areincorporated herein by reference. The general operation of such jackshas remained the same for many years. The design includes a standard orbar with a series of spaced apertures and a pair of climbing pins whichalternately fit into these apertures as their corresponding runners movealong the bar in a step-by-step fashion which is controlled by a handle(lever). A reversing mechanism enables the runners to be moved along thebar, intermittently, in either direction. Also the runners also known asrunning gear can be slid down the bar if there is no load on the runninggear.

This type of jack is frequently mounted on trucks as a standard tool foruse on the farm and in backcountry. Of course the primary purpose of thejack is for lifting the vehicle but it can also be used as a winch. Sucha jack is shown in FIG. 1. Winching with such a jack prior to thepresent invention was accomplished by securing the top clamp 10 of thejack to a heavy stationary object by means of a chain. For example, thiscould be accomplished by attaching to a tree. The nose 11 of the jack isthen secured to another chain that is attached to the frame of thevehicle. The lever 12 is then cranked causing the running gear 15 of thejack upon which the nose is mounted to gradually move up the I-beam orbar 16 by stepping along the evenly spaced apertures 17.

Typically, the length of the bar is sufficient to allow about four feetof movement and therefore the slack in the chain had to first be removedbefore any movement of the vehicle would occur. It is also thennecessary to put chocks under the wheels of the vehicle to hold it inthe new position while the chain is readjusted in order to pull itfurther. This process has to be performed as many times as needed inorder to move the vehicle to the solid ground.

The problems with this process are that after the chains are allfastened and the winch process is ready to begin the slack must beremoved before the jack actually starts to winch the vehicle. Removingthe slack could cost the operator as much as two feet of the jack's bar.The complete travel of the bar is only four feet so the operator justperformed this complicated process to winch his vehicle approximatelytwo feet. If the vehicle needed to be winched 20 feet, this processcould take 10 times the effort and time. The second problem is that thevehicle must be chocked each cycle performed to keep from losing theground gained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One embodiment of the process of the present invention for winchinginvolves providing a jack including a bar having a top and a base andrunning gear mounted on the bar and movable between the base and thetop. A winch tensioner bracket is mounted with an attached first chainon the bar at the base. A second chain is connected to the object to bewinched. The process further comprises mounting a winch jack attachmentbracket on the running gear with a third chain extending from the winchjack attachment bracket. A fourth chain is connected between thestationary member and the top of the jack. The running gear of the jackis then placed adjacent the base and the third chain is attached to thesecond chain at a first location. The jack is then cranked to move therunning gear away from the base toward the top producing force in thesecond and third chains to move the object. The first chain is thenfully extended and attached to the second chain. The running gear isthen moved away from the top and down to the base to release the tensionin the third chain and transfer the tension to the first chain. Next thethird chain is reattached to the second chain but at a location closerto the object than the first attachment location and then the jack iscranked to move the running gear away from the base toward the topproviding force in the second and third chains to further move theobject.

Another embodiment of the process of the present invention involvesattaching a first line to a jack, connecting a second line to the objectbe winched, connecting a third line to the running gear of the jack,immobilizing the jack, connecting the third line to the second line andcranking the jack to move the object, and connecting the first line tothe second line to hold the object in its new position.

Still another embodiment of the invention involves a process forwinching. The process comprises attaching a first line to the base of ajack, connecting a second line to the object to be winched, connecting athird line to the running gear of the jack, connecting a fourth linebetween the stationary member and the top of the jack, connecting thethird line to the second line at a first location and cranking the jackto move the object, connecting the first line to the second line to holdthe object in its new position, and reattaching the third line to thesecond line but at a location closer to said object than said firstlocation for further movement of said object.

One embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention is a jackincluding a bar having a base and a top. There is provided running gearmounted on the bar and movable between the base and the top. A winchtensioner bracket is mounted on the bar at the base. A first chain and afirst hook is mounted on the winch tensioner bracket. A second chain isadapted to be connected to the object to be winched. A winch jackattachment bracket is mounted on the running gear. There is alsoprovided a third chain and a second hook mounted on said winch jackattachment bracket. Finally, each of the first and second hooks areconnectable to said second chain.

Still a further embodiment of the apparatus of the present inventioninvolves a jack including a bar having a base and a top. Running gear ismounted on the bar and is movable between the base and the top. A winchtensioner bracket is mounted on the bar at the base. A first chain andfirst grab hook are mounted on the winch tensioner bracket and a secondchain is adapted to be connected to an object to be winched. A winchjack attachment bracket is mounted on the running gear. A third chainand second grab hook are mounted on the winch jack attachment bracket.Each of the first and second hooks are connectable to said second chain.

Still another embodiment of the apparatus of the present inventioninvolves apparatus for holding an object being winched in a new positionto which it has been winched. The apparatus involves a winch tensionerbracket, a grab hook and a chain connecting the bracket and the grabhook.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a jack usable in the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the method and apparatus of thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the winch tensioner bracket and chain ofthe present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a winch jack attachment bracket andchain forming a part of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the method and apparatus of theinvention showing the winch jack attachment bracket and chain in use.

FIG. 6 is a similar view of FIG. 5 but showing the winch tensionerbracket and chain in use.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of theinvention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated inthe drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. Itwill nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of theinvention is thereby intended, such alterations and furthermodifications in the illustrated device, and such further applicationsof the principles of the invention as illustrated therein beingcontemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to whichthe invention relates.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 a jack 9 is illustrated as having a top 10and a base 20. The jack has running gear 15 including the nose 11. Awinch tensioner bracket 25 is mounted on the bar next to the base 20.The winch tensioner bracket 25 has one end of a first chain 26 securedthereto. A grab hook 27 is mounted on the other end of the first chain26. There is also provided a second chain 30 which is connected to theobject 31 such as a vehicle or the like that is to be winched. A winchjack attachment bracket 35 is mounted on the nose 11 of the running gearand has a third chain 36 mounted thereon and extending therefrom. Thethird chain 36 has a grab hook 37 at its distal end. A fourth chain 40is connected at one end to the top 10 of the jack and is connected atthe other end to a stationary or immovable object 39.

Referring to FIG. 3 the winch tensioner bracket 25 is shown in moredetail as including a casting 24 having a rectangular passage 45therethrough that fits the shape of the bar 16 of the jack. The winchtensioner bracket 25 is mounted adjacent the base 20 of the jack bymeans of a bolt 46 which extends through an appropriate aperture 17 inthe jack. The first chain 26 has one end attached to the winch tensionerbracket by means of bolt 47. The grab hook 27 is attached to the otherend of the chain 26 by bolt 50.

FIG. 4 shows in detail the winch jack attachment 35 the third chain 36and the grab hook 37. The winch jack attachment 35 is formed from asheet of relatively heavy steel into the shape illustrated and is boltedto the chain 36 by the bolt 55. The grab hook 37 is bolted to the chain36 by bolt 38.

In order to move the vehicle, the running gear 15 of the jack is placedin the lower start position adjacent to the base or foot piece 20 andthe chain 36 is hooked to the chain 30 (See FIG. 2). As long as there isno force on the nose 11 or the jack running gear 15, the running gearmay be slid easily to the start position adjacent the foot piece. Thejack is then cranked by pumping the handle 12 back and forth so that therunning gear moves away from the base 20 or foot piece. After the slackis removed from the chains 30, 36 and 40, the vehicle will start to pullor winch in the direction of the stationary object or. tree 39. Afterthe running gear is moved the full length of the jack's bar, the chain26 is fully extended toward the vehicle 31 or other object to be winchedand is hooked to the chain 30. The jack's running gear is then crankeddown releasing the force exerted on the chain 36 and transferringtension to the chain 26. After the tension has been transferred, thejack's running gear can return or be slid very quickly to the lower orstart position adjacent the foot piece. Also, the hook 37 on the chain36 is disconnected from the chain 30. No chocks are required because thechain 26 is holding the gained ground. The free hook 37 of the chain 36is then reattached to the chain 30 but at a point closer to the vehicleand the process is repeated until the vehicle is moved as close asdesired to the foot piece or base of the jack.

FIG. 5 shows the apparatus of the present invention in use. Although theinvention is usable to winch any type of object, FIG. 5 shows winchingof a vehicle 31. Also in FIG. 5 the chain or line 40 is connected to atree 39 which could also be some other stationary object. FIG. 5 showsthe third chain (line) 36 in tension and connected to the second chain(line) 30. FIG. 5 illustrates the step of the winching method whereinthe vehicle is moved by cranking the handle 12 of the jack causing therunning gear to move away from the base 20 and toward the top 10.

FIG. 6 also shows the apparatus of the present invention in use. In FIG.6 the winch tensioner bracket 25 and its associated first chain (line)26 and grab hook 27 is shown in tension and connected to the secondchain (line) 30. FIG. 6 illustrates the step of the winching methodwherein the vehicle is held in position permitting the jack's runninggear 15 to be cranked down releasing the force exerted on the chain 36and transferring the tension to the chain 26. The free hook 37 of thechain 36 can then be reattached to the chain 30 but at a point closer tothe vehicle so that the vehicle can be moved closer to the base of thejack. Thus each of chain 36 and 26 may be placed in tension,alternately, moving and holding the vehicle. This process is carried outuntil the vehicle is moved the desired distance.

While the invention has been illustrated and described above in detailin the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be consideredas illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understoodthat only some of the preferred embodiments have been shown anddescribed and that all changes and modifications that come within thespirit of the invention are desired to be protected.

For example, one of the embodiments described above involves a series ofchains, namely, a first, second, third and fourth chain. Such chainsmight be replaced by a series of lines. The lines could be manufacturedof fabric of the type used in commercially available tow ropes but havea series of apertures in the lines permitting reattachment of grab hooksat various locations along the lines. The term line in the claims isused generically to include chain. Also the process of this inventioncan be practiced with other types of jacks other than the preferredembodiments of jacks as described above. Also other types of winch jackattachments and winch tensioners can be used in the process of theinvention so long as they provide effective and secure attachment to theworking parts of the jack and also provide secure attachment to thelines. Also other devices for attaching to the lines may be used in theprocess in place of grab hooks, for example, secure knots.

What is claimed:
 1. Apparatus for winching comprising a jack including abar having a base and a top, running gear mounted on said bar andmovable between said base and top, a winch tensioner bracket mounted onsaid bar at said base, a first chain and first hook mounted on saidwinch tensioner bracket, a second chain adapted to be connected to anobject to be winched, a winch jack attachment bracket mounted on therunning gear, a third chain and second hook mounted on said winch jackattachment bracket, each of said first and second hooks beingconnectable to said second chain.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 whereinsaid winch tensioner bracket has a rectangular recess which receives thebar of said jack, a bolt extending through said winch tensioner bracketand said bar securing said winch tensioner bracket to said bar at saidbase.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said first grab hook is boltedto one end of said first chain and said winch tensioner bracket isbolted to the other end of said first chain.